JED Art: Peeping Highlander

ISLE OF PURBECK, UK: A highland cow that we found peeking over the long grasses, he looked so friendly and cuddly that I had to draw him. Pencil drawing on paper. https://jedart.co.uk/news/

Child of Hope: the long walk

NAMATALA SLUM, EASTERN UGANDA: Peter is a seven-year-old pupil in the nursery department at Child of Hope School… and walks a round journey of four miles between his home in Namabasa and school.

Before the coronavirus shutdown, Peter was having to manage the long walk to school and back because his father’s bicycle was stolen, and he could no longer give Peter a ride to school.

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/peters-long-walk

Solar energy for precision engineering

Groveley Precision Engineering, Dorset: In order to reduce Groveley’s carbon footprint – and as an investment in the future – the company has installed a solar power system with roof-top panels.

On day 1 the solar system contributed 60% of the electricity being consumed by Groveley's CNC machinery.

https://www.groveley.co.uk/2020/06/30/cnc-machinery-now-powered-by-solar/

Covid lockdown hits agriculture project that feeds slum families

[NAMATALA SLUM, UGANDA] 80 of the mums Child of Hope helps with small business ventures have been prevented from working their agricultural project by the Covid-19 travel restrictions – badly affecting their family income. But all is not lost…

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/lockdown-hits-agriculture

Distant Hopes, by Dorset contemporary artist Jan Dowding

Thought I’d try a bit of a different style for my latest painting, lots of action with a squeegee! Acrylic on canvas 36×24″. For sale at £140. https://jedart.co.uk/news/

Covid-19 slum business initiative

NAMATALA SLUM, UGANDA: Keen to try something new to create income during the Covid-19 crisis, these ladies have started a Chenga (broken rice) business.

Rose and Prosy work in the spiritual and health departments at Child of Hope, and Sarah is a community parent. They all live close to the school in Namatala. They are seen here separating rice from husks, known as winnowing, carefully positioning themselves so the wind helps to blow the husks away.

They sell the rice from their homes and also take some to the local market for quicker sales. It is measured out in cups, with the cupful price varying according to the quality. The income they receive will help them to sustain their families, providing some of their basic needs at this challenging time.

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/business-initiative

Covid-19 - jumping Karamajong-style

CHILD OF HOPE, UK: After Tom Lathwell was shocked to find out how tough it is right now for the pupils of the Child of Hope School in the Namatala slum in Uganda, he decided to his bit to help and decided to 'Jump for Hope’.

He said: “Why jump? Well, the main tribe in the school is the Karamajong, who are known for their jumping style of dancing (the higher the better!).

“It's actually pretty tiring. But I thought that if the pupils are going without food, the least I could do was 'jump like a Karamajong' in my break times to try and raise money to help them. So I'm going to jump for the whole length of every morning break for the whole of the second half term of summer.”

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/jumping-karamajong-style

Proud Lion, by artist Jan Dowding

Lions are very popular, so I thought it’s about time I drew one or two; this one was looking very proud. https://wordpress.com/view/jedart.co.uk

ebay helps declutter during Covid - and helps slum kids in Uganda

BROADSTONE, DORSET, UK: Ebay helps charities like Child of Hope raise vital funds – by encouraging people to sell their unwanted items as they declutter their homes during the lockdown.
Read more: https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/ebay-declutter

Emergency appeal update: Covid-19

NAMATALA SLUM, EASTERN UGANDA: Child of Hope's Covid-19 emergency appeal to support slum families through the coronavirus crisis to date has attracted £54,344, which is helping many hundreds of slum families survive through a long period of total lockdown. The charity will continue to support them until the crisis and its after-effects are over. Read more:

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/covid-19-update

Amazing fundraiser, at age six

Child of Hope, Uganda: Running off into the distance is six year-old Ezra, who last week ran his first-ever 5K to raise funds for slum children and their families during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Ezra originally set his target at £100 but that was broken within days, thanks to generous friends and family. Now the total funds he raised has reached £2,000… well done Ezra!

And that has helped our emergency appeal overall total to reach £41,000, which is helping slum families in Namatala enormously.

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/ezras-run-boosts-our-emergency-appeal

Cassava chips boost slum income

NAMATALA SLUM, EASTERN UGANDA: One of our primary school teaching assistants started a small business while stuck at home to sustain the small basic needs of her family – every morning she fries and sells a local snack of cassava chips.

Suzan says her temporary business is helping her buy soap, sugar, salt and food. More..

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/chips-boost-income

Playing games in the slum to pass the time

NAMATALA SLUM, UGANDA: CHILD OF HOPE... A good thing about homes being very close together in the slum is that kids aren’t stopped from playing with their close neighbours during Uganda’s current lockdown.

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/playing-games-pass-time

Child of Hope: Covid-19 video update

NAMATALA SLUM, EASTERN UGANDA: Here in Namatala, most of the active men (who normally work as casual labourers) cannot now earn money on a daily basis to feed their families. Most of the active women have small businesses. But right now, nobody can work and all of the women’s businesses are at a complete standstill. Our IGA mums are using up their hard-earned business capital and savings to keep themselves and their families alive. Hunger and starvation is a far greater danger to our mothers and their children than the virus at this point.

This short video (2.5 minutes) includes interviews from one of our primary pupils, a slum community leader and CoH staff.

If you'd like to donate to our emergency appeal to help slum families during this crisis, please click here.

Child of Hope: Ezra's run to save lives

Running further than he has ever run before, six year-old Ezra is raising funds for slum kids during the Covid-19 crisis.

https://www.childofhopeuganda.org/news/ezra-running-save-lives